A NEW accident prevention group is warning Bolton residents to beware of the danger of faulty electric blankets.

In a recent survey Bolton Trading Standards officers found that two thirds of the 343 blankets tested in the town had some kind of defect.

Now Bolton's Accident Alert, created 18 months ago, is warning people to ensure their electric blankets are not damaged.

And safety officers have admitted some people could be risking death by sleeping on or under old, damaged blankets, as the cold weather continues into February.

An Accident Alert spokesman said: "One of the aims of the group is to raise awareness of accidents and try to tackle their root causes.

"February is notoriously cold and many people will be bringing out their blankets to keep warm.

"We have issued some advice that people should follow." Their safety tips include checking the blanket meets BS 3456 specification and "overheat" protection as well as switching off and unplugging their blanket before getting into bed.

The warning comes as the group launched its first safety campaign for townsfolk.

Accident Alert has been formed following an amalgamation of the former Child Accident Prevention Group and the Safety Of The Older Person Group.

Members include representatives from the Social Services, emergency services, Age Concern, community services, Deaf Society and Community Health Council.

Their safety message about faulty electric blankets has been welcomed by Bolton Trading Standards officers.

A spokesman said: "We are concerned about the number of incidents involving defective electric blankets. I'm sure there have been fatalities in the past because of these.

"The standard of manufacture and quality is generally high but it is the wear and tear which can prove problematic. These things tend to be used for four months and are then rolled up and tossed into a cupboard."

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